Friction clutch



Dec, 22, 1931. J. l.. COLLINS 1,837,4@9

FRICTION CLUTCH Filed April 15, 1929 rra/infra Patented Dec.. 22, 1931 JOHNH L;

OFFICE 1 .i

COLLINS, or sYR'AOusE, New YORK, Vrissrcfivon fro THE WARNER CORPORA- Tron, AonV SYRAOUSE, YORK; A CORPORATION or 'INDIANA f frarc'rion CLUTCH j Applicationnlea April 15, 1929. i seri-a1 No'. 355,372.

. This invention relates toanew andV improved Vfriction clutchor control levers used in automobiles or other. machines.

- In the operation ofenginesused in automobiles, motor 'boats,'and the like, where the Operator is positioned `at a distance from the engine, it is evidentthat some means must be provided for properly` controlling theroperaf tion of said engine and this is usually accomplished throughthe medium of suitable rods and levers connected with thecarburetor'or distributor and which maybe actuated in one direction by the action of a retracting spring.

In this event itis desirableand often necessary to provide some means for maintaining the control levers in the adjusted position against vibratory movement or the action of a Figure 2. Y

retracting spring, etc. y -i The main object oiimy invention', therefore, is to constructla rictionclutch which will maintain the control levers in the .adjusted position, be easilyand `readilv assembled and dis-assembled, and beproduced at avery'lowfcost. I 1

Otherobjects and advantages relate to the size, form and relation of theparts thereof,

all as will more fully appear from the followingdescriptiontaken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Y Figure l is 'alongitudinal section through the lower end of steering gear assembly with my device in. operative position. 1

Figure 2 is aplan view of the lower .end of the steering gear asV shown infF-igure l'.

Figure 3 isa section talren in the plane of the line 3`-3, Figurel.

Figure il is azdetall d-section takenon jline Figures 5 andGv are perspective [views of the respective friction cones.- i

`Referring to Figure l of the drawings-I have shown agportion othe lower Aen -d ofV a steering gear which 'consistsfo'fthe usual gear ,case L1- in which is journaledone' end of a steering-post `-.-2- .having the usual-'control `rodsf or tubes and-"lie` ulcrumed therein, `and mountedone within `the other.

The control tubes ande-1- may each be manuallyV operated in' any convenient vmanner, asthrough the medium of suitable 4levers r(not shown.) secured to the upper end of Yrespective tubes in close relation to the steering wheel.

i. As illustrated, the tubes e3- and a lever -f adjustably secured to the outer ,tube -fS- near the endthereof by a clamping bolt -6- and nut o` screw-threaded thereon. .The/lever --l may be of any desired construction, or asv shown, may bel constructed of sheet metal formed with a body portion .#7 provided withan aperture .T8-positioned near the outeredge thereof and adapted t receive the clamping bolt -6-. a

j The body 7 is provided with up-turned sides -9- and --10- to produce a U-shaped Vunit with one side, as .-9-, extended to form an arm which is provided 'with an aperture lt near its outer end adapted to receive one end of avlinlr connection suitable for connecting the lever to .the control lever ofthe carburetor.1 vThe side 'members -9- and 10fare eachv provided with an aperture -incooperative alignment and in a plane ahead of the aperture in the body -7- provided Y for vthe clamping bolt adaptedv to receive the vcontrol tube -8- therein.

A'longitudinal slot as -12- is provided in each of the side members and extends from the aperture to the edge of the respective Y Y side, at which the clampingr bolt aperture is located so that any clamping eiect exerted l by thescrew -6- will produce a correspond- .ing gripping'of the side members on the control tube A a stress vis placed thereon through` the action 'of the'clamping bolt #-6- as the `nut 6" is screw-threaded thereon, vand also to act asa support for the head of said bolt.

For thisreason I have vprovided a ,clip as lllwhich may be formed from a portion vof one of the frictional members and support samein .the operative .position when assembled, and also cause it to rotate with the lever -5-.

The friction-producing means in this instance consists of two conical members 15 and 16. The friction cone member 16 is constructed with a substantially flat base-plate 17 circular in plan view and provided with a perforation 18 in the center thereof adapted to receive the contro-l tube -3-. Y

The base 17 is also provided with. an outwardly tapered or conical rim 19 which has a plurality of in this instance two diametrically opposed forwardly extending parallel legs 2O which have their outer ends bent outwardly to form feet portions 21. The feet 21 are each provided with a substantially semi-circular opening Q2- adapted to receive a head of respective screws 23 which are used to clamp the usual cover-plate -24- to the case -1-.

The friction cone member 15 is constructed similarly to the cone member -16- and consists o-f a flat circular base-plate -264- provided with a perforation Q7 adapted to receive the control tube 3* therethrough, and also has an outwardly tapered or conical rim -28- similar to the rim -19-- A portion of the rim *Q8- and plate 2S- may be slotted from the outer edge inwardly to forma strip of metal of the desired shape so that when it is bent outwardly at an angle to the outer face of the base-plate -26 itwill form the clip -11-.

The clip consists of a major'or body portion -29- having a spacing lug -30-` projecting from one side thereof of a width substantially equal to the distance between the sides -9- and 10 of the lever -5-. An aperture -31 is cent-rally located in the body -29- which is adapted' to receive clamping bolt -6-. The body portion -29- also has its outer end bent at an angle thereto to form a depending side -32- f adapted to engage the outer surface of the side It is now evident that when the friction cone with the 'clip *14:- and the lever -5-- are assembled upon the control tube -3- with the sides -9-- and -1-O- positioned between the base --Qo andv the side -32` of the clip respectively in close relationV thereto and with the spacing lug between upstanding shoulders 3S- ,provided on the outer edge of the sides E3- and -10-, that when a stress is produced upon the slotted side of the lever '.-5- b screw-threading the nut 6 on the bolt 7 6- it will secure the lever and friction cone 15 together, clamp the lever to the tube 3- and secure the sides -9- and -10- against relativo movement.

When the friction cone -16- is in operative position on the control tube 3- it will be located between the friction cone l5- and the cover-plate 24.- with the feet -21-- in contact with respective Washers -35- provided for the screws Q3-- and with the head of said screws registering in respective apertures 2Q-, thereby preventing the friction cone -16- from rotating when in contact with the friction cone 15.

The cone member 16 may be held in its operative position and with the outer face of the conical rimA 19v in .frictional contact with the inner face ofthe conical rim 28- of the member 15 by a tensional spring -36- mounted on the tubes 3 and *11- between the lever 5* and a U-shaped arm 37,- having one end mounted on the tube -4- in spaced relation to the lever 5- andthe other end secured to or integral with the cover-plate -24-.

By having the spring -36- of the proper tension suiiicientV friction will be produced betweenV the' friction cones w-15-- and -l6 to hold the control lever -5- and associated members in the set position against vibratoryI movement or the action of a kretracting spring asv hereinbefore mentioned, and at the same time permitting the manual manipulation of the control means to operate the engine as desired.

Altho I have. shown and particularly described a preferredl embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction shown, as various changes may readily be made without departing from the' spirit of this invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: I

1.1In a device of the class described, a retaining means, a stationary clutch member comprising a base-plate provided with a conical rim, a plurality of forwardly projecting spaced legs extending from the outer edge of the rim andl having the outer ends thereof' provided with lateral flanges adapted to engage the retaining means, a rotating clutch member comprising a base-plate provided with a conical rim adapted to frictionally engage. the rim of the stationary clutch member, means connected with the second clutch member for rotation thereof,

andi means for maintaining said rims in frictional contact. A

'2. In a device of the class described, a supporting means, a clutch member normally positioned on the supporting means comprising a base-plate provided with a conical rim, a plurality ofv forwardly projecting spaced legs extending from the outer edge of the rim and having the outer ends thereof provided with lateral flanges which are provided with an aperture adapted to engage a portion of the supporting meansA to hold said clutch against relative movement, a movable clutch member comprising a baseplateprovi-ded with a conical rim, a clip formed from a portion of the rim and baseplate and bent at an angle to one faceof the base-plate, an aperture provided in the up-turned portion of the clip adapted to receive a clamping bolt, and one jedge of said clip bent upon its self and another' edge extended to form a spacing lug, a'means for yieldingly maintaining said rims inv frictional contact and for holding the stationary clutch in itsv normal position against the supporting means, and means connected With the clip for rotating the movable clutch.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a steering gear housing of a steering column mounted in the housing, a tube extending through the steering column, a clutch member surrounding the tube and secured to the housing, a second clutch member surrounding the `shaft and adapted to engage the first-named clutch member, a lever mountedon the tube and having an open side, and a clip formed trom a portion of the second-named clutchV member extending across the open side oi? the lever.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination With a. steering gear housing and a steering column mounted in said housing, of a tube extending through the steering column and housing, a clutch mem-V ber surrounding the tube., and having out- Wardly projecting legs adapted to removably engagethe housinga lever clamped to the tube, a second clutch member secured to the lever and adapted to engage'the first named clutch member, and a spring supported by thehousing and, engaging said.

lever for yieldingly maintaining said clutch members in frictional contact. v, v

5. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a steeringA gear hous-V ing and a steering column mounted in said housing, of `a tube extending through the steering column and housing, a clutch member surrounding said tube andvadapted to be secured against vrelative movement and in spaced relation to said housing, a second',

clutch member adapted to frictionally engage` the iirst-mentioned vmember and provided with an outwardly projecting clip, a lever mounted on said tubeand means connecting the clip With said lever adapted to secure the lever to the tube to rotate there- With.

6. In a deviceas set forth in claim a spring supported by the housingl and engaging said lever to maintainthe clutchV mem-V bers in frictional contact,

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my Y hand this 8 day of April, 192.9.

JOHN L. COLLINS. 

